1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to electrical connectors, and particularly to an electrical connector with a locking mechanism that assure a combination with a mating electrical connector.
2. Background Art
An electrical connector is a core component used in many electronic systems to electrically connect wiring harnesses. In recent years, electronic systems have grown increasingly complicated. As a consequence, the number of electrical connectors used in some electronic systems has increased, along with the number of wiring harnesses. Some relatively large connectors have also been developed, which may be provided with several dozen terminals or poles. Such connectors may typically include sub housings or sub connectors corresponding to terminals of various types, such as optical fibers and electrical wires for communication and for power.
Connectors are typically manufactured by a connector manufacturer, and thereafter supplied to a harness assembler to attach wiring harnesses thereto. In a process of assembling a female connector, the terminals disposed at an end of the wiring harnesses may be inserted into a housing from a rear side of the housing. The female connector is typically provided with detents, which may be referred to as housing lances, within the housing thereof. When the terminals of the wiring harnesses are inserted into the housing, a portion of the housing lances may be moved upward due to interference with the terminals, and the lances may thereafter “snap” back to engage with notches of the terminals. The TPA (Terminal Position Assurance) member is then inserted into the housing, and bridges a gap in the housing to restrict undesirable movement of the housing lances. For example, the TPA member is inserted into the housing from a front side surface of the housing, and thereby the TPA member bridges the gap, restricting the movement of the lances. The resulting female connector, as is a final product, can be combined with a mating connector, i.e., a male connector. In addition, larger connectors typically require a greater force to combine with the mating connector. Accordingly, the larger connectors are generally provided with an insertion-assist mechanism, such as a lever mechanism, in order to reduce a necessary insertion force. The insertion-assist mechanism typically doubles as a connector locking mechanism to assure a reliable connection between connectors. A lever-typed locking mechanism may adopt a snap-latch design such that a latching detent engages with a latching flange.
While the female connector to which the wiring harnesses are attached is conveyed to the next process, and with a lever at a pre-engagement position, the connector locking mechanism cannot avoid interference with the attached wiring harnesses. Accordingly, the lever locking mechanism may be subject to an excessive force. Over a period of time, the lever locking mechanism eventually becomes deformed, such that the locking mechanism ceases to function properly. Thus, even a slight force applied to the lever may undesirably cause disengagement of a latching detent and a latching flange, thereby resulting in disconnection of the complementary connectors due to rotational movement of the lever.